1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly, more particularly to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly for power transmission.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors are widely used today. In general, electrical connectors can be classified into personal use and industrial use. When in personal use, electrical connectors can be classified as desktop connectors, laptop connectors, mobile phone connectors, consuming connectors, and other types. When in industrial use, electrical connectors can be used in industrial computers, servers, and workstations. Power connector is one common kind electrical connector used in different equipments. Usually, a plug-type power connector and a receptacle-type power connector mate with each other to supply power to equipments. Contacts of the plug and the receptacle contact one another to form electrical connection. When the power connectors are used in industrial circumstances, current loaded on the power connectors are much bigger than in personal use. When the mated power receptacle connector and the power plug connector mate with each other or disconnect from each other with current, conductive contacts of the power connectors generate arc-discharge phenomenon therebetween. Therefore, contacting portions of the contacts may produce carbon, melt, and excessive deformation etc., even potential dangers.
In fact, the generation of the arc-discharge phenomenon is because contacts are made from stamping and cutting technologies which form sharp edges on tip ends of the contacts. These sharp edges of the contacts generate arc-discharge phenomenon. Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, the theory of the generation of the arc-discharge between conventional power plug connector and power receptacle connector is disclosed. A plug connector 1′ and a receptacle connector 2′ are capable of mating with each other. The plug connector 1′ comprises a first insulative housing 10′ and a plurality of first contacts 11′ assembled in the first insulative housing 10′. The receptacle connector 2′ comprises a second insulative housing 20′ and a plurality of second contacts 21′ assembled in the second insulative housing 20′. Each first contact 11′ has a first sharp edge 110′ formed during stamping process by a stamping die and each second contact 21′ has a second sharp edge 210′ formed during stamping process by a stamping die. When the first and second sharp edges 110′, 210′ are close to each other in a certain distance during mating or disconnecting processes, arc is generated, that is an arc-discharge phenomenon we discussed above. In general, the sharper the sharp edges are, the more serious the arc-discharge phenomenon is, therefore more dangerous to reliable power transmission of power connectors. However, sharp edges are unavoidable for contacts manufactured by stamping and cutting technologies.
Hence, it is disable to design an electrical connector to address problems mentioned above.